Fourteen years ago, the curtain fell on what was at the time ‘Africa’s Destiny’s Child’ – a three-member girl-group named Blu*3 from Uganda.
One hit after the other, they were conquering Africa. The meticulous and aggressive management of Steve Jean (then a producer and songwriter) had set this trio on a new course using unique lyrics, captivating choreography and vocal harmony.
The music industry had warmed up to a fresh sound, with songs like Frisky, Hitaji, Burn, Nsanyuka Nawe, Mutima Gwange among others.
But the party didn’t last long.
Now, Lillian Mbabazi who together with Jackie Chandiru and Cindy Sanyu made up the original Blu*3, is asking, are you ready for a Blu*3 reunion?
To say her question prompted excitement would be an understatement. The internet has been upbeat since she put out the tweet. Everybody is ready.
Details regarding this “reunion” are scanty. And Lillian is keeping things under wraps for now. For example, is it the original Blu*3 or is it the Blu 3 with Mya?
“You’ll know more. Be patient. I’m the worst person to ask right now. I don’t give out any information,” Lillian told Plugged on Sunday.
Pressed further for a confirmation as to whether fans should expect a Blu*3 reunion, Lillian said: “It is. It’s coming.”
As to whether the reunion will be a song on which the trio collaborate, a concert or a tour, remains to be confirmed when they are finally ready to share details.
What’s not in question is – the three have always longed for it.
Commenting on a possible Blu*3 come back in a recent interview, Jackie said… “Anything is possible. We are in talks. I can’t say much because I’ll be spoiling. But many people would love to see us back together.”
In January this year, the Gold Digger singer said she still misses their group. And that the trio had this conversation last year.
On her part, Cindy has previously ruled out committing fully to a permanent Blu*3 reunion.
“I’m not willing to leave my solo career. Because it has moved so well. I’m now established, I have a band, I have built my empire of Team Cindicates which I cannot just abandon to join Blu*3. But we can do a concert together, we can do a tour together, we can do a collaboration,” Cindy said early 2019.
“But Jackie has to reach out. I can’t pester her. If she doesn’t need me, I don’t want to be in her business. If she needs me, I’m open, she added.
Of the three, Cindy has enjoyed a far much successful solo career. Her 2009 debut solo album ‘Ayokyayokya’ topped charts all over East Africa with hits like Ayokyayokya, and One and Only. In 2016, she beat Juliana Kanyomozi, Kenya’s Victoria Kimani and Avril, Ethiopia’s Fikeraddis Nekatebeb and Irene Ntale to an AFRIMA Award (Best Female East Africa) for Still Standing.
A lot has happened since 2008 when Cindy parted ways with Jackie and Lillian. From solo careers, to parenting, to Jackie’s battle with drugs. The latter had especially even further made any efforts of a reunion impossible.
But with Jackie now on what seems like a steady path to full recovery, a reunion has never been more plausible.
Two months ago, she and Lillian shared stage after so many years. Jackie made a surprise appearance as Lillian and her band (The Sundowners) performed during the SMACK League in Lugogo. They performed Nsanyuka Nawe to an ecstatic crowd.
In 2020, ahead of her Boom Party concert, Cindy revealed that she had been making efforts to get the girls together, but that Jackie’s family had kept her away from music (due to her problems with drug).
“Her family cut her off from the industry…I am doing boom party rehearsals with Lillian Mbabazi. Lillian and I would like Jackie Chandiru to perform with us at the boom party concert but unfortunately, I can’t reach out to her (Jackie),” said Cindy back then.
The beginning
Blu*3 emerged from Coca Cola Pop Stars, a 2004 talent search that sought to find three gifted individuals who would represent Uganda on the world music stage.
Cindy was 17, Lillian 19 and Jackie 18 when they auditioned for Pop Stars.
Cindy met Jackie through Lillian as the two were already friends. Their (trio) paths first crossed during their Kampala auditions, but it wasn’t until the final 12 contestants traveled to Mombasa, Kenya that the three would further get acquainted.
On the final day in Mombasa as the 12 were singing together, Cindy, Jackie and Lillian held hands. And that’s the moment the judges felt this trio was destined for a singing group. Rather than select three single winners for Pop Stars, the judges chose a group which later became Blu*3.
Short glory
The group lasted 4 years. Four years that came with remarkable success – two Pam Awards wins, a Kisima Awards win, a Channel O Music Video Award nomination, a Kora Awards nomination, a Tanzania Music Awards nomination, a major album (Hitaji) launch, an African tour, and good airplay beyond Uganda.
In 2008, Cindy left the group.
Management had granted the three a month off after many months of grinding.
Cindy chose to fly to Spain to unwind and enjoy the much needed break with her then boyfriend Mario Brunette who then lived in Italy.
According to Jackie’s account of events, when the month ended, Cindy sent a message to Lillian saying she wasn’t coming back to Uganda.
“We had signed contracts to work. And the work involved 3 people. There’s nothing like Blu 2. We did everything we could. My problem is I don’t know how to beg. The most I did was to ask Lillian – ‘Do your best’ (to talk to Cindy),” Jackie said in an interview early this year.
She adds that after several efforts in engaging Cindy, she accepted to return to the group but she gave a condition to which Steve Jean agreed. However, on the day she was supposed to return, she was a no show.
According to Jackie, Cindy fed the press a wrong narrative of what had transpired, and despite her (Jackie) pleas to Steve Jean to set the record straight, he insisted certain things are not meant for the public.
“It took a while to finally forgive her. Because I got a backlash for something I didn’t do. I was very hurt. It took years of Lillian begging me to let it go,” Jackie said.
Cindy’s account regarding events that led to her trip to Spain, is that Blu*3 was just so much work at the time. So much that when Steve Jean finally gave them a month off, a burned-out Cindy was so relieved and chose to go for holiday.
Steve Jean kept the girls on their feet which perhaps explains why they registered alot of success in a very short time.
Contrary to the claim by Jackie that Cindy refused to return after 30 days, the Ayokyayokya hit maker has previously mentioned that 10 days into the break (which was meant to be 30 days), she received a call asking her to return, as they had an upcoming show in Northern Uganda. But she wasn’t willing.
“In the three years I worked, I didn’t run away, I didn’t do anything silly. I tried to be a good member. As Blu*3, we deserved a break”.
On return to Uganda, she phoned Steve Jean only to be told it was nolonger possible to rejoin the group. She had been replaced with another member – Mya Baganda.
A pardon for Lillian
Before 2008 happened, Blu*3 came so close to losing Lillian. In their first year, there was a time Steve Jean almost fired Lillian, according to Cindy. Because she (Lillian) behaved ‘unseriously’. There were times she simply disappeared at critical times, some times when there was a show, and switched off her phone.
“I stood in for Lillian. We were all going through a phase. And so was she. Some times she wanted to disappear from the media. And she would just run off. You would have a show, and her phone is off and she’s not in Uganda,” Cindy has said in a previous interview.
“And I would say we are not doing the show, we need to wait for her to come back. We need to understand, because people react differently. The management, sponsors all wanted to let Lillian go. I stood in for her and I was like Lillian is not leaving the group. If you let her go, I will go”.
On the contrary, Jackie went overboard with her commitment to Blu*3. Cindy herself has described her as one who would rather come to a show on drip and is okay to perform and faint afterwards.
